Shadow's Light (Ninja/Paladin)

(Original Concept by Thomas, A)

Primary Class: Ninja.

Secondary Class: Paladin.

Alignment: Any good.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The shadow’s light may select three paladin skills to add to her class skills in addition to the normal ninja class skills. The shadow’s light gains a number of ranks at each level equal to 6 + Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The shadow’s light is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, plus the kama, katana, kusarigama, nunchaku, sai, shuriken, siangham, and wakizashi. The shadow’s light is proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Code of Light: The shadow’s light must follow the three pillars of Daikomyo–to guard and protect all light, to never spread darkness, and to maintain the light’s purity. To maintain these pillars, the shadow’s light must never extinguish a source of light (nonmagical or otherwise), unless it would cause harm to the surrounding area, use a spell, ability, or item that was crafted with spells from the darkness subschool, or willingly commit an evil act. For example, a shadow’s light could extinguish a bonfire or flaming sphere spell about to burn a grain field or torch a building, but she could not end a light spell to hide herself from her enemies. If she does so, she loses all class features except proficiencies. She may not progress any further in levels as a shadow’s light. She regains her abilities and advancement potential if she atones for her violations (see atonement), as appropriate.

Detect Evil (Sp): A shadow’s light gains the paladin’s detect evil ability. This ability replaces poison use.

Lumens Pool (Su): At 2nd level, a shadow’s light gains a pool of lumen points, supernatural energy she can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in the shadow’s light’s lumen pool is equal to 1/2 her shadow’s light level + her Charisma modifier. As long as she has at least 1 point in her lumen pool, she can maintain a 30–foot aura around her that increases the illumination level in the area (whether from a torch, candle, or spell) by one step; normal light increases to bright light, dim light to normal light, darkness to dim light. If an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned aberration, or an undead creature is in range of the aura and the light level is “bright light”, they are blinded until they move out of the aura’s area. At 10th level, the aura’s area increases to 60 feet.

By spending 1 point from her lumen pool, a shadow’s light can heal wounds (her own or those of others) by touch. A shadow’s light can heal 1d4 hit points of damage for every two shadow’s light levels she possesses. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the shadow’s light targets herself, in which case it is a swift action. The shadow’s light must have one free hand to use this ability. In addition, she can spend 1 point to increase her speed by 20 feet for 1 round. Finally, a shadow’s light can spend 1 point to make herself glow for 1 minute, allowing her to use the Stealth skill in bright light. While glowing, the shadow’s light suffers a –10 penalty when using her Stealth in any level of illumination other than “bright light”. A shadow’s light can gain additional powers that consume points from her lumen pool by selecting certain ninja tricks.

At 2nd level, a shadow’s light can expend 1 point from her lumen pool as a swift action to grant any weapon she is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. At 5th level and every four levels thereafter, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 19th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following weapon properties: axiomatic, brilliant energy, defending, disruption, flaming, flaming burst, holy, keen, merciful, and speed. Adding these properties consumes an amount of bonus equal to the property’s base price modifier. These properties are added to any the weapon already has, but duplicates do not stack. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before any other properties can be added. These bonuses and properties are decided when the lumen pool point is spent and cannot be changed until the next time the shadow’s light uses this ability. These bonuses do not function if the weapon is wielded by anyone other than the shadow’s light. A shadow’s light can only enhance one weapon in this way at one time. If he uses this ability again, the first use immediately ends.

The lumen pool is replenished each morning after 8 hours of rest or meditation; these hours do not need to be consecutive. A shadow’s light’s lumen pool counts as a ki pool for the purpose of qualifying for ninja tricks or feats. If the shadow’s light possesses levels in another class that grants points to a ki pool, shadow’s light levels stack with the levels of that class to determine the total number of lumen points in the combined pool, but only one ability score modifier is added to the total. The choice of which score to use is made when the second class ability is gained, and once made, the choice is set. The shadow’s light can now use lumen points from this pool to power the abilities of every class she possesses that grants a ki pool. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces ki pool.

Purity of Light (Su): At 3rd level, as long as a shadow’s light has at least 1 lumen point, she gains a +1 bonus on all saving throws. This bonus increases by +1 at 6th level and every 3 levels, to a maximum of +6 at 18th level. This ability replaces no trace.

Radiant Mercy (Su): At 5th level, and every six levels thereafter, a shadow’s light can select one mercy. Each mercy adds an effect to the shadow’s light’s lumen pool to healing. Whenever the shadow’s light uses her lumen pool to heal damage to one target, the target also receives the additional effects from all of the mercies possessed by the shadow’s light. When radiant mercy is used, the shadow’s light automatically removes the dazzled effect, while a mercy can remove an additional condition caused by a curse, disease, or poison without curing the affliction. Such conditions return after 1 hour unless the mercy actually removes the affliction that causes the condition.

At 5th level, the shadow’s light can select from the following initial mercies.

At 11th level, a shadow’s light adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

At 17th level, a shadow’s light adds the following mercies to the list of those that can be selected.

These abilities are cumulative. For example, an 11th-level shadow’s light’s lumen pool heals 6d6 points of damage and removes any dazzled condition, and might also cure fatigued and staggered conditions as well as removing diseases and neutralizing poisons. Once a condition or spell effect is chosen, it can't be changed. This ability replaces sneak attack +3d6, +6d6, and +9d6.

Aura of Light (Su): At 6th level, a shadow’s light can spend 1 lumen point to create and aura of light equivalent to a light spell. While in effect, she gains a +2 circumstance bonus to her Stealth checks while in normal light, or +4 while in bright light. However, this aura also prevents a shadow’s light from using Stealth in an area of darkness unless she is invisible or has cover, and increases the penalty for using Stealth in areas of dim light to –10. This ability replaces the ninja trick gained at 6th level.

Concealing Light (Ex): At 12th level, as long as a shadow’s light has at least 1 lumen point and is within an area of bright light, she gains concealment (20% missed chance in combat) from creatures with darkvision or the ability to see in darkness. She can use her Stealth skill to hide from creatures with darkvision or the ability to see in darkness by using concealment provided by concealing light. This does not allow the shadow’s light to hide in plain sight. In addition, her aura of light bonus when using Stealth in normal light increase to +4 circumstance bonus, and to +6 in areas of bright light. This ability replaces the ninja trick gained at 8th level.

Hide in the Light (Ex): At 18th level, as long as a shadow’s light has at least 1 lumen point and is within an area of normal or bright light, a shadow’s light can use the Stealth skill to hide, even while being observed. Her aura of light bonus to Stealth checks when within an area of bright light increases to +8. In addition, she gains total concealment (50% missed chance in combat) from creatures with light sensitivity and light blindness when within an area of bright light. This ability replaces the ninja trick gained at 18th level.

Eruption of Eternal Light (Su): At 20th level, a shadow’s light may spend all of her lumen points to create a 60–foot burst of light, centered on the shadow’s light. All creatures caught within the burst become blinded for 1 round, and deals 1d6 points of holy damage per lumen point spent to any outsider with the evil subtype, evil aberration, or undead. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the shadow’s light’s level + her Charisma modifier) halves the holy damage. This ability replaces hidden master.

Table: Shadow's Light